Pump apparatus



1966 R. A. DELLIGATTI 3,289,607

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ATTORNEYS III/lay Filed June 25, 1964 ill/5,1174? I United States Patent3,289,607 PUMP APPARATUS Raymond A. Delligatti, 815 Ogden Ave.,Fairmont, W. Va. Filed June 25, 1964, Ser. No. 377,889 7 Claims. (Cl.103178) This invention relates to a pump apparatus and more particularlyto an apparatus for pumping fluid cementitious materials such as plasterand the like.

In the plastering art, it has been desirable to have a machine suitablefor applying plaster to interior walls, ceilings, partitions and thelike of building structures. Considerable effort has been made in thepast to develop such a machine, but most plastering machines in theprior art have been found not to be entirely satisfactory inconstruction and performance. The difiiculty in developing an effectivemachine for applying plaster material to surface areas is due primarilyto the nature of the plaster material. Generally, a preparation ofplaster material consists of a mixture of gypsum plaster or quicklimeand water in the form of a viscous fluid substance. Most plasteringmachines provide for pumping the mixture from a hopper through conduitsto the applicator device. In the course of such pumping, the water inthe mixture is forced out, resulting in either the delivery of plasterof a nonuniform consistency or premature hardening of the mixture. Italso has been found that the removal of the water from the mixtureduring the pumping action results in the deposit and eventual hardeningof plaster within the pumping apparatus, thereby impairing the operationof the machine.

Accordingly, it is the principal object of this invention to provide animproved pump apparatus.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved pumpapparatus suitable for pumping fluid cementitious materials such asplaster and the like.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved pumpapparatus for pumping fluid cementitious materials such as plaster andthe like, which is adapted to pump the material without appreciablydisturbing the consistency of the mixture.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an apparatus forpumping a fluid plaster mixture which will avoid forcing the water outof the mixture.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved pumpapparatus for pumping fluid cementitious materials wherein the depositand hardening of the material within the apparatus is avoided.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved pumpapparatus for pumping fluid cementitiou materials having a novel pistonconstruction.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved pumpapparatus for pumping fluid cementitious materials such as plaster andthe like, having a novel piston construction which will not force thewater out of the fluid mixture.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved pistonconstruction for a reciprocating type of pump apparatus adapted for usein pumping fluid cementitious materials, which prevents the deposit andhardening of cementitious materials thereon.

A further object of this invention is to provide a pump apparatus forpumping fluid cementitious materials which is self cleaning during thenormal operation thereof.

A still further object of this invention is to provide an improved pumpapparatus for pumping fluid cementitious materials such as plaster andthe like, which is simple in construction, easy to assemble andinexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages of the present invention will become moreapparent to those persons skilled in the Patented Dec. 6, 1966 art, fromthe following description taken in conjunction with the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 illustrates a top plan view of a first embodiment of theinvention, having portiOns thereof broken away;

FIGURE 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged vertical cross-sectional view of a pump chamberof the embodiment shown in FIG- URES l and 2, illustrating the relativepositions of the piston head and connecting rod during a pumping stroke;

FIGURE 4 is a view similar to FIGURE 3, illustrating the relativepositions of the piston head and the connecting rod during a returnstroke of the assembly;

FIGURE 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 5-5 in FIGURE 4;

FIGURE 6 is an exploded view of the piston head and connecting rodassembly, having a portion thereof broken away;

FIGURE 7 is a vertical cross-sectional View of a pumping chamber of asecond embodiment of the invention illustrating the piston head andconnecting rod assembly during a return stroke thereof; and

FIGURE 8 is a view similar to FIGURE 7 illustrating the piston head andconnecting rod assembly during the return stroke thereof at a positionsubsequent to the position illustrated in FIGURE 7.

Briefly described, the present invention relates to a pump apparatusgenerally comprising at least one pump chamber having a dischargeopening and a material supply opening, a piston head having a passagewaytherethrough slidably disposed in the pump chamber between the openingsthereof and an actuating rod disposed in the chamber and .operativelyconnected to the piston head. The actuating rod is operative to closethe passageway in the piston head during the pump stroke, and to permitthe passageway to remain open during the return stroke thereof. Meansare provided for reciprocating the actuating rod, and one-way valvemeans also are provided, disposed in the pump chamber between thedischarge opening thereof and the piston head. In a second embodiment ofthe invention, cleaning means are provided in the pump chamberengageable with at least a portion of the actuating rod for cleaning thesame during a portion of the return stroke thereof. Preferably, thecleaning means engages at least portions of the actuating rod and thepiston head for removing residual material deposited thereon.

Referring to FIGURES 1 through 6 of the drawings, there is illustrated apreferred embodiment of the invention. Specifically, there is provided aframe member 10, including a base portion 11 and a pair of spacedvertical walls 12 and 13. Mounted in suitable openings in the upper endsof the walls 12 and 13 is a pair of cylindrical conduits 14 and 15providing a pair of cylindrical working or pumping chambers 16 and 17having horizontal parallel axes. Threadedly secured to the forward ordischarge ends of the conduits 14 and 15 is a pair of identical valvesections 18 and 19. As illustrated in FIGURE 2, valve section 19 isprovided with an axial passageway having con-ical sections 20 and 21providing a restricted center opening 22. The restricted opening 22 isadapted to be closed during the return stroke of the piston head andconnecting rod assembly of the apparatus, by means of a check ball 23,having a diameter larger than the diameter of the restricted opening 22.The ball 23 further is restricted in its forward travel by means of apin 24 extending across the conical section 21.

The valve sections 18 and 19 are connected to a common discharge line25, by means of a Y-shaped conduit 26. The conduit 26 is provided withbranching sections 27 and 28 which are provided with annular flanges 29.

The sections 27 and 28 are secured to the valve sections 18 and 19 bymeans of fittings 30 and 31, each of which are provided with an annularflange portion 32, which engages the annular flange portion 29 when therearward end of the fitting is threaded onto the forward end of thevalve section.

Mounted on the rearward or supply ends of the conduits 14 and 15 is ahopper 33. The hopper generally consists of a vertically disposedcylindrical section 34, a downwardly and forwardly extending bottom wallportion 35, a pair of laterally spaced and forwardly projecting portions36 and 37 which are adapted to threadedly receive the rearward ends ofthe conduits 14 and 15, so that the pump chambers 16 and 17 communicatewith the hopper and a pair of laterally spaced connecting rod housingportions 38 and 39 which are aligned with the conduits 14 and 15.Disposed within the vertical section 34 of the hopper is a feed auger40, having a vertically disposed shaft 41 journaled and supported at itslower end within a suitable bearing housing 42, depending from thebottom wall portion 35 of the hopper. The auger can be driven by anysuitable independent means or can be driven through any suitableoperative connection by the drive means for the piston and rodassemblies.

Referring to FIGURE 2 of the drawing, there is illustrated the pistonhead and connecting rod assembly 43, consisting of a piston head 44slidably mounted in pumping chamber 17 and a connecting rod 45operatively connected at its forward end to the piston head 44, and atits rearward end to a suitable reciprocating mechanism. The piston headassemblies in each of the pumping chambers 16 and 17 are identical instructure and are operatively connected to the same reciprocatingmechanism, so that they reciprocate alternately. The piston head 44 isadapted to slide freely along the length of the pump chamber 17 and isprovided with an axial passageway 46 therethrough, which includes arearwardly facing conical surface 47 merging with a forwardly facingconical surface 48 to provide a restricted circular opening 49. Theconnecting rod 45 includes a stem portion 50 and an enlarged headportion 51. The stem portion 50 is substantially elongated and extendsthrough a mounting block 52 disposed in the housing portion 39 which isprovided with a closure nut 53. The enlarged head portion 51 has arearwardly facing conical surface 54 and a forwardly facing conicalsurface 55 which provide an intermediate merging section 56 having adiameter larger than the diameter of the restriction 49 in thepassageway through the piston head. As best seen in FIGURE 3, therearward end of the conical surface 55 of head portion 51 is adapted toengage and be seated on the forward end of the conical sur face 47 ofthe passageway during the pump stroke of the connecting rod to close thepassageway in the piston head. The forward end of the piston head alsois provided with an axial threaded opening 57 which receives a threadedstud portion of a carrier member 58. The carrier member has asubstantially conical surface forming a continuation of the conicalsurface 55 of the head portion 51 and a plurality of radially andforwardly extending arm members 59. As best seen in FIGURE 4, the armmembers 59 are adapted to engage the piston head 44 during the returnstroke of the connecting rod after the conical surface 55 of the headportion 51 becomes unseated relative to the conical surface 47, openingthe passageway through the piston head.

In the operation of the embodiment illustrated in FIG- URES 1 through 6,plaster material is deposited in the hopper 33, which is forceddownwardly into the pumping chambers 16 and 17 while the piston andconnecting rod assemblies reciprocate alternately. During the pumpingstroke of a connecting rod, the head portion 51 thereof engages theconical surface 47 of the passageway in the piston head to close thepassageway, permitting plaster to be pumped through the pumping chamber.During the pumping stroke, the ball 23 in the valve section 19 will beunseated, permitting passage of the plaster material through the valvesection 19 and the conduit 26 to the discharge line 25. During thereturn stroke of the connecting rod, the head portion 51 thereof will beunseated relative to the conical surface 47 to open the passageway inthe piston head. After the head portion 51 becomes unseated, the ends ofthe arm members 59 will engage the front end of the piston head to carrythe same rearwardly while the passageway 46 remains open. As the pistonhead moves rearwardly with the passageway open, additional plastermaterial is permitted to be forced down through the hopper into the pumpchamber 17 for the next succeeding pumping stroke. It will beappreciated that during the return stroke of the connecting rod, and thepumping stroke of the other connecting rod, the ball 23 will becomeseated in the restriction in the valve section, preventing material inthe conduit 26 from returning into the pump chamber 17. With theconnecting rods in the pump chambers 16 and 17 reciprocatingalternately, it will be appreciated that a continuous supply of plasteris delivered under pressure to the discharge line 25. It further will beappreciated that the freedom of relative movement between the headportion 51 and the piston head permits the piston head to becomepositively seated on the conical surface 47 of the passageway 46.

The arm members 59 are preferred to be slender in cross-sectionalconfiguration, as shown in FIGURE 5, to readily permit the plastermaterial to pass through the passageway in the piston head. It also willbe appreciated that the continuous seating and unseating of the headportion 51 in the passageway 46 of the piston head will prevent thedeposit and hardening of the plaster material on the piston head andconnecting rod assembly.

Referring to FIGURES 7 and 8 of the drawings, there is illustrated asecond embodiment of the invention. This embodiment includes a conduit60 providing a pump chamber 61, which communicates with a materialsupply inlet 62. Disposed within the pump chamber 61 is a piston headand connecting rod assembly 63 which is similar in construction andoperation to the assembly described in connection with the firstmentioned embodiment of the invention. This embodiment also includes,however, a cleaning means 64 disposed in a rearward extension 65 of thepump chamber 61. The cleaning means 64 consists of a receptacle member66 adapted to slide along the length of the pump chamber extension 65,having a base portion 67 with an axial opening therein for receiving thestem portion 50a therethrough and an annular flange portion 68. Thecleaning means also includes a contact member 69 which is seated withinand secured to the receptacle 66. The contact member 69 is provided withan outer conically shaped surface 70 and an inner conically shapedsurface 71, which are engageable with and complementary to the conicalsurface 47a of the piston head and conical surface 54a of the headportion of the connecting rod, respectively, when the piston head andconnecting rod approach their rear ward end of travel, as seen in FIGURE8. The pump chamber extension 65 is provided with a slightly largerdiameter than the pump chamber 61, to provide an annular shoulder 72,engageable with the front edge of the annular portion 68 of thereceptacle 66 to limit the forward travel of the cleaning means. Theforward edge of the annular portion 68 is urged into contact with theannular shoulder 72 by means of a spring 73 interposed between the rearwall of receptacle 68 and the front wall 74 of an end cap 75 threadedlymounted on the end of the conduit extension. The end cap 75 also isprovided with a bushing 76, which receives the stem portion of theconnecting rod therethrough.

The embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 7 and 8.is adapted to operate inthe same manner as the first mentioned embodiment. Except, when thepiston head and the head portion of the connecting rod approach theirend of travel during the return stroke thereof, the conical surface 54awill engage the surface 71 of the contact member, and the conicalsurface 47a of the passageway in the piston head will engage the conicalsurface 70 of the contact member, as illustrated in FIGURE 8. Thecontact member 69 preferably consists of a relatively flexible yet wearresistant material, which will permit the positive engagement of thecomplementary surfaces, thereby wiping the surfaces 47a of the pistonhead end 54a of the head portion of the connecting rod. It will be notedthat the cleaning means 64 also is yieldable rearwardly, to furtherassure positive seating of the complementary engaging surfaces. With thecleaning means as provided in the embodiment illustrated in FIGURES 7and 8, at least portions of the surfaces 54a and 55a of the head portionof the connecting rod and surfaces 47a of the passageway in the pistonhead will be continuously wiped, thereby preventing the accumulation ofmaterial within the pump chamber which would eventually affect theoperation of the apparatus.

From the foregoing detailed description it will be evident that thereare a number of changes, adaptations and modifications of the presentinvention which come within the province of those skilled in the art.However, it is intended that all such variations not departing from thespirit of the invention, be considered as within the scope thereof aslimited solely by the appended claims.

What I claim is:

1. A piston construction comprising a piston head having a passagewaytherethrough, said passageway having rearwardly and forwardly facingconically shaped sections defining a restriction in said passageway, aconnecting rod receivable within said passageway, said connecting rodhaving a forwardly facing surface complementary to and engageable withthe rearwardly facing conically shaped section of said passageway duringthe pump stroke thereof for closing said passageway and said connectingrod having a plurality of forwardly and outwardly extending arm membershaving the ends thereof engageable with the forward end of said pistonhead during the return stroke of said connecting rod whereby the pistonhead may be moved while permitting said passageway to remain open, eachof said arm members having a slender cross-sectional configuration.

2. A pump apparatus comprising at least one pump chamber having adischarge opening and a material supply opening, a piston head having apassageway therethrough slidably mounted within said pump chamberbetween the openings thereof, said passageway having rearwardly andforwardly facing conically shaped sections defining a restriction insaid passageway, a connecting rod disposed in said pump chamber andreceivable within said passageway, said connecting rod having aforwardly facing surface complementary to and engageable with therearwardly facing conically shaped section of said passageway during thepump stroke thereof for closing said passageway, said connecting rodhaving a plurality of forwardly and outwardly extending arm membershaving the ends thereof disposed at the forward end thereof engageablewith the forward end of said piston head during the return stroke ofsaid connecting rod rearwardly while permitting said passageway toremain open,

means for reciprocating said connecting rod and one way valve meansdisposed in said pump chamber between the discharge opening thereof andsaid piston head, each of said arm members having a slendercross-sectional configuration.

3. A pump apparatus comprising at least one pump chamber having adischarge opening and a material supply opening, a piston head having apassageway therethrough slidably disposed in said pump chamber betweenthe openings thereof, said passageway in said piston head having arestricted section, an actuating rod disposed in said pump chamber andreceivable within the passageway of said piston head, said actuating rodhaving means engageable with the restricted section of said passagewayduring the pump stroke thereof for closing said passage way, saidactuating rod having means engageable with said piston head for carryingsaid piston rearwardly during the return stroke thereof while permittingsaid passageway to remain open, means disposed in said pump chamberengageable with at least portions of said actuating rod and said pistonhead during the return movement thereof for cleaning the same, means forreciprocating said actuating rod and one way valve means disposed insaid pump chamber between the discharge opening thereof and said pistonhead.

4. A pump apparatus comprising at least one pump chamber having adischarge opening at the forward end and a material supply opening atthe rearward end thereof, a piston head having a passageway therethroughslidably disposed in said chamber between the openings thereof, saidpassageway in said pump head having a rearwardly facing section defininga seating surface, a connecting rod disposed in said chamber, saidconnecting rod having a head portion at the forward end thereofreceivable within the passageway of said piston head, said head portionhaving a surface engageable with the seating surface of the passagewayof said piston head during the pump stroke thereof for closing saidpassageway, said connecting rod having means engageable with said pistonhead for carrying said piston head during the return stroke thereofwhile permitting said passageway to remain open, means disposed in saidchamber engageable with at least the head portion of said connecting rodfor cleaning the same, means for reciprocating said connecting rod andone way valve means disposed in said pump chamber between the dischargeopening thereof and said piston head.

5. A pump apparatus comprising at least one pump chamber having adischarge opening at the forward end and a material supply openingadjacent the rearward end thereof, a piston head having a passagewaytherethrough slidably disposed in said pump chamber between the openingsthereof, said passageway in said piston head having a rearwardly facingconically shaped section defining a seat, a connecting rod disposed insaid pump chamber, said connecting rod having a head portion receivablewithin the passageway of said piston head, said head portion of saidconnecting rod having a forwardly facing surface complementary to andengageable with the seat of said passageway during the pump strokethereof for closing said passageway, said connecting rod having meansengageable with said piston head for carrying said piston headrearwardly during the return stroke of said connecting rod whilepermitting said passageway to remain open, cleaning means disposed atthe rearward end of said chamber, said head portion of said connectingrod and said cleaning means having complementary surfaces engageable atthe end of the return stroke of said connecting :rod, means forreciprocating staid connecting rod and one way valve means disposed insaid pump chamber between the discharge opening thereof and said pistonhead.

6. A pump apparatus comprising at least one pump chamber having adischarge opening at the forward end having material supply openingsadjacent the rearward end thereof, a piston head having a passagewaytherethrough slidably mounted within said pump chamber between theopenings thereof, said passageway having a rearwardly facing sectiondefining a seating surface, a connecting rod disposed in said chamber,said connecting rod having a head portion receivable within thepassageway of said piston head, said head portion having meansengageable with the seating surface of said passageway during the pumpstroke of said connecting rod for closing said passageway, saidconnecting lIOd having at least one radially extending arm memberengageable with a forwardly facing surface of said piston head forcarrying said piston head rearwardly during the return stroke of saidpiston rod while permitting said passageway to remain open, yieldablecleaning means mounted at the rearward end of said pump chamber, saidhead portion of said connecting rod and said cleaning means havingcomplementary surfaces engageable adjacent the rearward end of thereturn stroke of said connecting rod, means for reciprocating saidconnecting rod and one way valve means disposed in said pump chamberbetween the discharge opening thereof and said piston head.

7. A pump apparatus comprising at least one pump chamber having adischarge opening and a material supply opening, a piston head having apassageway therethrough slidably disposed within said pump chamberbetween'the openings thereof, said passageway having rearwardly andforwardly facing conically shaped sections defining :a restriction insaid passageway, a connecting rod disposed in said pump chamber, saidconnecting rod having a head portion receivable within said passageway,said head portion having a forwardly facing surface complementary to andengageable with the rearwardly facing conically shaped section of saidpassageway during the pump stroke thereof for closing said passageway,said forward portion having a plurality of radially extending Iarmmembers disposed at the forward end thereof en- .gageable with theforward end of said piston head during the return stroke of saidconnecting rod rearwardly while permitting said passageway to remainopen,a yieldable cleaning member disposed at the rearward end of saidpump chamber, said head portion and piston head having complementarysurfaces relative to said cleaning member engageable adjacent therearward end of travel of said connecting rod during the return strokethereof, means for reciprocating said connecting rod and one way valvemeans disposed in said pump chamber between the discharge openingthereof and said piston head.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 307,862 11/1884Loth 103178 2,065,022 12/ 1936 Poulter. 2,520,242 8/1950 Grau. 2,558,3126/1951 Nisbet 103178 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,025,983 1/1953 France.

662,293 12/ 1951 Great Britain.

MARK NEWMAN, Primary Examiner.

WARREN E. COLEMAN, Examiner.

1. A PISTON CONSTRUCTION COMPRISING A PISTON HEAD HAVING A PASSAGEWAYTHERETHROUGH, SAID PASSAGEWAY HAVING REARWARDLY AND FORWARDLY FACINGCONICALLY SHAPED SECTIONS DEFINING A RESTRICTION IN SAID PASSAGEWAY, ACONNECTING ROD RECEIVABLE WITHIN SAID PASSAGEWAY, SAID CONNECTING RODHAVING A FORWARDLY FACING SURFACE COMPLEMENTARY TO AND ENGAGEABLE WITHTHE REARWARDLY FACING CONICALLY SHAPED SECTION OF SAID PASSAGEWAY DURINGTHE PUMP STROKE THEREOF FOR CLOSING SAID PASSAGEWAY AND SAID CONNECTINGROD HAVING A PLURALITY OF FORWARDLY AND OUTWARDLY EXTENDING ARM MEMBERSHAVING THE ENDS THEREOF ENGAGEABLE WITH THE FORWARD END OF SAID PISTONHEAD DURING THE RETURN STROKE OF SAID CONNECTING ROD WHEREBY THE PISTONHEAD MAY BE MOVED WHILE PERMITTING SAID PASSAGEWAY TO REMAIN OPEN, EACHOF SAID ARM MEMBERS HAVING A SLENDER CROSS-SECTIONAL CONFIGURATION.